People For the American Way

Why We Resist Trumpcare: 3 Stories from PFAW Members

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We recently asked PFAW members to share their reasons for resisting the harmful policies of the Trump administration and GOP Congress. Over 1,900 PFAW members have responded with their stories of resistance, and over 300 of those stories are about why they are resisting the GOP’s cruel attempts to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a flimsy law that will leave tens of millions without health care.

Here are 3 stories from PFAW members:

Victoria in Arizona knows how the Affordable Care Act has helped her community:

“We have medical issues—my husband is a senior and I am over 50. I am a disabled female Muslim and my friends are poor, working-class Mexican immigrants. There are three children in their single family home and their mother is trying to make ends meet. The children have preexisting illness as well. Same with my husband and myself. If the ACA is taken away, my husband and myself […] are doomed. My friend died from cancer. My mom also died but before she did she was in a nursing home paid for by Medicaid, which I am also on and so are my friend’s children.

We must protect Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security… and let’s not ever forget the veterans and disabled seniors that depend on SNAP, and the mothers and families that depend on food stamps for their children, Medicaid for medical care, and Planned Parenthood for vital cancer screenings and women’s health. My friend is no longer on Earth due to cancer of the uterus and she had fibroid tumors and sadly left behind a husband and four young children under the age of 18. Disabled seniors and vets that [rely on] Meals On Wheels, […] the most nutritious meal they get each day, [cannot be left behind]. [T]he people need and depend on programs to just live a normal existence… the rest of the 1% never will know. They could care less and billionaires and Wall Street don’t pay their fair share of taxes.”

Patricia in Maryland told us about her family’s struggle with preexisting conditions:

“One crucial issue are the impending changes in health care. Here is a very short version of our story…

PREEXISTING CONDITIONS! I have an autoimmune disease which costs thousands of dollars a month (covered by insurance) to control and (to possibly) keep me off disability and my husband has type 2 diabetes. We are relatively young, well-educated, hard-working, and self-employed individuals. As clinical psychologists, we assist people in crisis every day and spend our time working to improve (and often) to save lives. Without affordable health care and coverage of preexisting conditions, we would lose the ability to support our two sons (also with preexisting conditions, i.e. life-threatening allergies) and could not continue the invaluable contribution we make every day to society. We could even potentially become dependent on government programs for survival. Twelve years of graduate school and fifteen to twenty years of helping others lost to one inhumane and cruel law.”

Cristina in California believes that Trumpcare is “un-American and heartless” because of what it will do to people with pre-existing conditions:

“I vocally and ardently resist because the policies this ‘administration’ and the GOP are trying to implement are quite simply un-American and —heartless—especially when it comes to health care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) literally saved my life. I am a runner and live a very healthy and active lifestyle. I also have multiple autoimmune diseases and was recently diagnosed with cervical dysplasia (pre-cancer). The nature of my job makes it virtually impossible to obtain employer-sponsored healthcare so I am forced to purchase coverage on the individual market and due to my pre-existing conditions the premiums were exorbitant. Despite earning an income that is well above the average, the high cost of living in Los Angeles combined with my income tax rate (38%), and student loan payments ($2500/mo), the premium rates prior to the ACA were simply unaffordable. When the ACA went into effect, it allowed me to be able to afford coverage so that I could be properly diagnosed and effectively manage my chronic conditions which greatly increased my quality of life. Any changes that would again allow carriers to charge more for pre-existing conditions or limit coverage would be detrimental to myself and millions of others as it would result in a loss of coverage by once again making it unaffordable. Furthermore, the attempts to undo forgiveness plans for student loans and the changes to education will make it very—difficult – if not impossible – for young people to obtain a quality education directly impacting their ability to have a successful future. These attempts to dismantle the many social programs that allow individuals to reach the American dream in order to give tax cuts to the wealthy are the antithesis to American values.”

These numbers are huge, and they’re not abstract. Every one of the 22 million people who could lose health care is someone like the PFAW members who shared their stories—someone in your community, your family, or yourself.

Moreover, these are targeted attacks at low-income Americans and people with disabilities. According to CBO, Trumpcare would actually make insurance so expensive that “despite being eligible for premium tax cuts, few low-income people would purchase any plan.”

Simply put, the Republican health care plan is cruel and inhumane, and it must be stopped.